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# Duel of Creation
"Duel!"
Because Noah had already drawn five cards, Hayato drew five cards in one go and then drew a sixth card, seizing the first turn.
"The first turn is mine, draw!"
Although he said it with great spirit, Hayato found himself somewhat helpless as his hand consisted entirely of Monster Cards. Rainbow Kuriboh, Treeborn Frog, Malice Doll of Demise, etc., not even a single monster with significant battle capability.
Of all times, he had a bad hand now.
Helplessly, Hayato Set Malice Doll of Demise, planning to use her effect that ends the Battle Phase when she is destroyed by battle to survive a turn: "Summon a monster in face-down Defense Position, then End my turn."
Having seized the right to go first but not even preparing a single Set card in the backrow, and facing Noah, who had a pile of his own printed fake cards, Hayato felt a slight premonition of something bad.
As Hayato's turn ended, almost simultaneously, the environment around them underwent a drastic change with a snap of Noah's fingers. Except for the patch of land beneath Hayato, Noah, and the observing Kaiba, all other ground was instantly swallowed by scorching lava.
It was as if the world had been destroyed in an instant!
"My turn, draw." The instigator of it all, Noah, calmly and slowly announced his draw. "Well then, Kobayashi Hayato, since you chose to use Seto's ace monster, I'll treat this Duel as a simulation of my Duel with Seto."
"Watch with wide eyes, Seto, and see how Kobayashi Hayato, using your Blue-Eyes, is defeated by my Duel of Creation, which symbolizes the creation of heaven and earth!"
"I Activate the Spell Card, Graceful Charity! I draw three cards from my Deck, then send to the Graveyard the LIGHT Attribute Asura Priest and the DARK Attribute Great Tengu." As he spoke, Noah displayed the cards he was about to send to the Graveyard like a beginner at Duel Monsters.
At this, Kaiba scoffed with disdain: "Hmph, he even announced the cards he's sending to the Graveyard. If this is all you've got, you rat who impersonates others, you're twenty thousand years too early to defeat me."
"No, Seto, you've got one thing wrong." When Hayato heard Noah mention the monster Attributes were LIGHT and DARK, he understood exactly what Noah intended to do. "In Duel Monsters, there's a special kind of monster that requires the combination of two conflicting Attributes to Summon. You're trying to Summon that monster, aren't you, Noah!"
"Heh heh, it seems you're much more capable than Seto, Kobayashi Hayato." Noah wasn't surprised that his intention was seen through; after all, he had practically laid the puzzle bare. "One soul guides the darkness, one soul guides the LIGHT. I Banish one LIGHT Attribute and one DARK Attribute monster from my Graveyard!"
"Symbol of ultimate power, invincible emperor, descend now!" Noah tapped one of the several cards floating before him. As the card flipped, a powerful monster with a Level as high as Level 8 revealed its true form.
"Chaos Emperor Dragon - Envoy of the End?" Kaiba frowned, starting to consider how he would clear the field if he were facing Noah who had Summoned Chaos Emperor Dragon on the first turn. He was very familiar with Chaos Emperor Dragon - Envoy of the End's card effect. If you asked why, it's because he actually had this card too.
Not just Kaiba, even in Grandpa Solomon's Turtle Game Shop, Chaos Emperor Dragon existed and was even displayed for sale in the display window. However, although its rarity couldn't compare to the now only three remaining Blue-Eyes White Dragon, Chaos Emperor Dragon wasn't a common card either. Its price was steep, enough to make even Hayato and Tristan, who weren't exactly short on pocket money, hesitate.
From Noah's Graveyard, the souls of the two monsters sent to the Graveyard by Graceful Charity appeared. After combining in mid-air, accompanied by a majestic dragon roar, a giant dragon with a slender, pale blue body descended onto Noah's field.
Chaos Emperor Dragon - Envoy of the End [Level 8/DARK]
[Dragon-Type/Special Summon/Effect]
[3000/ATK/2500/DEF]
On the surface, Chaos Emperor Dragon had the same standard male lead's ace monster stats of 3000/ATK/2500/DEF as Blue-Eyes White Dragon. But Hayato knew that Chaos Emperor Dragon's effect was even more terrifying than its ATK, and it even dominated the physical card environment alongside another Yatagarasu, earning the title of the "most terrifying monster combination."
Chaos Emperor Dragon had a field-clearing effect that paid Life Points to send all cards in both players' hand and field to the Graveyard. Then, by using Yatagarasu, which seals the opponent's drawing after inflicting damage with an attack, the opponent's hand could be kept empty. In an environment where hand traps and grave traps weren't abundant enough, this "Emperor Dragon Yatagarasu" combo was rampant for a long time until Chaos Emperor Dragon was Forbidden nearly 500 days after its debut.
Also Forbidden alongside it were Witch of the Black Forest and Sangan, which were used in this combo to Special Summon Yatagarasu from the Deck using their effects after being sent to the Graveyard. The record for the fastest Forbidden status for Chaos Emperor Dragon lasted for 5 years until it was broken by Dark Strike Fighter, which was applicable in gimmick OTK Decks.
"Looking at you, it seems you all know Chaos Emperor Dragon's effect? Even so, let me explain it again." Noah's tone was quite confident. "Although it can only be Special Summoned by its own effect, in exchange for the Summoning Conditions restriction, Chaos Emperor Dragon - Envoy of the End possesses an ability extremely befitting of me, who is a god!"
"By paying 1000 of my Life Points, I send all cards in both players' hand and field to the Graveyard! Then, for each card sent to the Graveyard, you take 300 damage!"
Hayato looked at Noah's hand. Noah had five cards in his hand, plus Chaos Emperor Dragon on his field, totaling six. Then, adding the five cards in Hayato's hand and the monster in face-down Defense Position on his field, the total number is 12 cards!
"Bring the end to the sinful souls standing before me, Chaos Emperor Dragon, Chaos End!" Noah paid his Life Points without hesitation. As Noah's Life Points decreased, Chaos Emperor Dragon on his field unleashed its full power, transforming into a black hole that seemed capable of devouring everything!
[Noah: 4000 → 3000 LP]
The moment the black hole appeared on the field, all the cards on Hayato's field and in his hand, as well as Noah's hand, shattered into pieces and were sucked into the black hole. At the same time, Noah's triumphant laughter rang out: "A total of 12 cards were sent to the Graveyard. Therefore, you will take 3600 damage!"
"This is the price for opposing a god!"
After absorbing the power of 12 cards, a laser beam shot out from the center of the black hole that Chaos Emperor Dragon had become. In an instant, it pierced Hayato's abdomen. An uncontrollable sharp pain came from Hayato's pierced abdomen, causing him to involuntarily hunch over, clench his teeth, and suck in a cold breath.
"Hiss—!"
[Hayato: 4000 → 400 LP]
"He actually dealt so much damage in an instant?!" The observing Kaiba was also startled. His gaze fell upon Noah's field, but his pupils contracted, his face filled with disbelief. "How is that possible? Didn't Chaos Emperor Dragon's effect just send all the cards to the Graveyard?"
"Hey, you rat! What's with that monster on your field!"
Hearing Kaiba's voice, Noah looked at him with a contemptuous expression: "Heh heh, although sending the cards to the Graveyard greatly reduced Kobayashi Hayato's Life Points, I didn't think such a simple trick could defeat him, the King of Games. The cards sent to the Graveyard weren't just his hand, but also the cards in my hand."
"When sent to the Graveyard by Chaos Emperor Dragon - Envoy of the End's effect, Sangan from my hand can use its effect to add a monster with 1500 or less ATK from my Deck to my hand. The card I added to my hand is this Yatagarasu."
"I will use my unused Normal Summon opportunity this turn to Attack Position Summon Yatagarasu, then declare a Direct Attack on Kobayashi Hayato, who has nothing on his field or in his hand!"
"If you take damage from Yatagarasu, your next Draw Phase will be skipped. That means your drawing will be sealed and cannot be released until your defeat, Kobayashi Hayato!" Noah seemed to already see himself grasping victory. "Heh heh, heh ha ha ha ha, with this, the victor has been decided!"
"The final victor is me, Noah!"
The ordinary-looking Yatagarasu attacked towards Hayato's field. Looking at the triumphant Noah, Hayato's face, however, showed a confident smile:
"Sore wa, dou kana?"
"Is that so?"
Although it once reigned supreme, the world had long since changed. The era of the "Emperor Dragon Yatagarasu" combo was over. This was no longer the environment where you were powerless to struggle after all your cards were sent to the Graveyard!
Bang!
Under Noah's confident gaze, just before Yatagarasu hit Hayato, a small monster suddenly revived from the Graveyard, blocking in front of Hayato!
"Kuri~~!"
"Nani!?"
"What?!"
Rainbow Kuriboh, revived from the Graveyard, was destroyed by Yatagarasu, whose ATK only exceeded its DEF by 100 points. Its card gradually dissipated under Hayato's gaze: "Thank you, aibo. You saved me again."
Hayato looked at Noah, his gaze firm: "When a Direct Attack is declared, I can Special Summon Rainbow Kuriboh from my Graveyard in Defense Position. When Rainbow Kuriboh Special Summoned by this effect leaves the field, it is banished."
"Tch, stubbornly persistent like a cockroach." Noah said, clearly annoyed. "My turn ends. Also, because Yatagarasu is a special Spirit Monster, it returns to my hand at the end of the turn it was Summoned."
[Noah: 3000 LP, hand 1]
Looking at Noah's empty field and his Life Points of only 3000, Kaiba, watching from the side, suddenly let out a cold laugh: "Hmph hmph, as expected, a rat is just a rat. Short-sighted, only thinking about the immediate situation, with no capacity for thinking about the future."
"What Chaos Emperor Dragon cleared wasn't just that Hayato guy's hand and field, but yours too, wasn't it? With only one unusable Monster Card in your hand, prepare to be completely devoured by the majesty of Blue-Eyes!"
Just as Kaiba said, after Noah's previous combo, which was practically a finishing blow, was blocked by Hayato with the invincible Rainbow Kuriboh—a grave trap quite rare in this era—the weakness of the "Emperor Dragon Yatagarasu" combo lacking follow-up was exposed.
By using Chaos Emperor Dragon's effect to completely clear the field, Noah himself, like Hayato, had no means of defense. The monster he just used was a Spirit Monster that returned to his hand at the end of the turn. Conveniently, the Duel Monsters rules currently in effect were still the ultimate house rules, the "Deck Master" rules.
It didn't matter what card Hayato drew. As long as he Summoned the Blue-Eyes White Dragon that had been waiting beside him for so long and blasted Noah with it, this Duel would be over.
"My turn, draw!" Hayato declared. After drawing a card from his Deck, he looked at the card he drew and said, "In my Standby Phase, a monster in my Graveyard can Activate its effect."
Following Hayato's declaration, a frog with a halo above its head and sacred wings on its back appeared on Hayato's field.
"During my Standby Phase, if there is no Treeborn Frog on the field, it can be Special Summoned from the Graveyard," Hayato said, playing the card he had just drawn. "Then I Activate the Spell Card, Pot of Greed! I draw two cards from my Deck."
While Hayato was adding the cards to his hand, Noah subtly glanced at the Graveyard Zone beside him. Although he was currently in an empty field state, Noah always liked to have a "Plan B" ready. He had already planned for the follow-up if the "Emperor Dragon Yatagarasu" combo failed to deliver the finishing blow to Hayato. That method existed in his Graveyard.
"Here I come, Noah!" After drawing two cards, Hayato suddenly raised his hand. "I can finally use this card. I Special Summon my Deck Master—Blue-Eyes White Dragon—onto the field!"
"Go, my glory, my tamashii, Blue-Eyes White Dragon!"
"Then, Direct Attack Noah! Burst Stream of Destruction!"
The sacred white dragon descended like an angel, but only when it opened its massive maw and spewed out a gust bomb wrapped in a destructive aura did one realize this was an armed angel.
Blue-Eyes White Dragon's attack, with its high ATK of 3000 points, struck towards Noah. But just like before when Hayato was almost Direct Attacked by Yatagarasu, Noah was completely calm. With a gentle wave of his hand, a dark shadow flashed and blocked in front of Noah, taking the full force of Blue-Eyes White Dragon's attack.
"Duel!"
Because Noah had already drawn five cards, Hayato drew five cards in one go and then drew a sixth card, seizing the first turn.
"The first turn is mine, draw!"
Although he said it with great spirit, Hayato found himself somewhat helpless as his hand consisted entirely of Monster Cards. Rainbow Kuriboh, Treeborn Frog, Malice Doll of Demise, etc., not even a single monster with significant battle capability.
Of all times, he had a bad hand now.
Helplessly, Hayato Set Malice Doll of Demise, planning to use her effect that ends the Battle Phase when she is destroyed by battle to survive a turn: "Summon a monster in face-down Defense Position, then End my turn."
Having seized the right to go first but not even preparing a single Set card in the backrow, and facing Noah, who had a pile of his own printed fake cards, Hayato felt a slight premonition of something bad.
As Hayato's turn ended, almost simultaneously, the environment around them underwent a drastic change with a snap of Noah's fingers. Except for the patch of land beneath Hayato, Noah, and the observing Kaiba, all other ground was instantly swallowed by scorching lava.
It was as if the world had been destroyed in an instant!
"My turn, draw." The instigator of it all, Noah, calmly and slowly announced his draw. "Well then, Kobayashi Hayato, since you chose to use Seto's ace monster, I'll treat this Duel as a simulation of my Duel with Seto."
"Watch with wide eyes, Seto, and see how Kobayashi Hayato, using your Blue-Eyes, is defeated by my Duel of Creation, which symbolizes the creation of heaven and earth!"
"I Activate the Spell Card, Graceful Charity! I draw three cards from my Deck, then send to the Graveyard the LIGHT Attribute Asura Priest and the DARK Attribute Great Tengu." As he spoke, Noah displayed the cards he was about to send to the Graveyard like a beginner at Duel Monsters.
At this, Kaiba scoffed with disdain: "Hmph, he even announced the cards he's sending to the Graveyard. If this is all you've got, you rat who impersonates others, you're twenty thousand years too early to defeat me."
"No, Seto, you've got one thing wrong." When Hayato heard Noah mention the monster Attributes were LIGHT and DARK, he understood exactly what Noah intended to do. "In Duel Monsters, there's a special kind of monster that requires the combination of two conflicting Attributes to Summon. You're trying to Summon that monster, aren't you, Noah!"
"Heh heh, it seems you're much more capable than Seto, Kobayashi Hayato." Noah wasn't surprised that his intention was seen through; after all, he had practically laid the puzzle bare. "One soul guides the darkness, one soul guides the LIGHT. I Banish one LIGHT Attribute and one DARK Attribute monster from my Graveyard!"
"Symbol of ultimate power, invincible emperor, descend now!" Noah tapped one of the several cards floating before him. As the card flipped, a powerful monster with a Level as high as Level 8 revealed its true form.
"Chaos Emperor Dragon - Envoy of the End?" Kaiba frowned, starting to consider how he would clear the field if he were facing Noah who had Summoned Chaos Emperor Dragon on the first turn. He was very familiar with Chaos Emperor Dragon - Envoy of the End's card effect. If you asked why, it's because he actually had this card too.
Not just Kaiba, even in Grandpa Solomon's Turtle Game Shop, Chaos Emperor Dragon existed and was even displayed for sale in the display window. However, although its rarity couldn't compare to the now only three remaining Blue-Eyes White Dragon, Chaos Emperor Dragon wasn't a common card either. Its price was steep, enough to make even Hayato and Tristan, who weren't exactly short on pocket money, hesitate.
From Noah's Graveyard, the souls of the two monsters sent to the Graveyard by Graceful Charity appeared. After combining in mid-air, accompanied by a majestic dragon roar, a giant dragon with a slender, pale blue body descended onto Noah's field.
Chaos Emperor Dragon - Envoy of the End [Level 8/DARK]
[Dragon-Type/Special Summon/Effect]
[3000/ATK/2500/DEF]
On the surface, Chaos Emperor Dragon had the same standard male lead's ace monster stats of 3000/ATK/2500/DEF as Blue-Eyes White Dragon. But Hayato knew that Chaos Emperor Dragon's effect was even more terrifying than its ATK, and it even dominated the physical card environment alongside another Yatagarasu, earning the title of the "most terrifying monster combination."
Chaos Emperor Dragon had a field-clearing effect that paid Life Points to send all cards in both players' hand and field to the Graveyard. Then, by using Yatagarasu, which seals the opponent's drawing after inflicting damage with an attack, the opponent's hand could be kept empty. In an environment where hand traps and grave traps weren't abundant enough, this "Emperor Dragon Yatagarasu" combo was rampant for a long time until Chaos Emperor Dragon was Forbidden nearly 500 days after its debut.
Also Forbidden alongside it were Witch of the Black Forest and Sangan, which were used in this combo to Special Summon Yatagarasu from the Deck using their effects after being sent to the Graveyard. The record for the fastest Forbidden status for Chaos Emperor Dragon lasted for 5 years until it was broken by Dark Strike Fighter, which was applicable in gimmick OTK Decks.
"Looking at you, it seems you all know Chaos Emperor Dragon's effect? Even so, let me explain it again." Noah's tone was quite confident. "Although it can only be Special Summoned by its own effect, in exchange for the Summoning Conditions restriction, Chaos Emperor Dragon - Envoy of the End possesses an ability extremely befitting of me, who is a god!"
"By paying 1000 of my Life Points, I send all cards in both players' hand and field to the Graveyard! Then, for each card sent to the Graveyard, you take 300 damage!"
Hayato looked at Noah's hand. Noah had five cards in his hand, plus Chaos Emperor Dragon on his field, totaling six. Then, adding the five cards in Hayato's hand and the monster in face-down Defense Position on his field, the total number is 12 cards!
"Bring the end to the sinful souls standing before me, Chaos Emperor Dragon, Chaos End!" Noah paid his Life Points without hesitation. As Noah's Life Points decreased, Chaos Emperor Dragon on his field unleashed its full power, transforming into a black hole that seemed capable of devouring everything!
[Noah: 4000 → 3000 LP]
The moment the black hole appeared on the field, all the cards on Hayato's field and in his hand, as well as Noah's hand, shattered into pieces and were sucked into the black hole. At the same time, Noah's triumphant laughter rang out: "A total of 12 cards were sent to the Graveyard. Therefore, you will take 3600 damage!"
"This is the price for opposing a god!"
After absorbing the power of 12 cards, a laser beam shot out from the center of the black hole that Chaos Emperor Dragon had become. In an instant, it pierced Hayato's abdomen. An uncontrollable sharp pain came from Hayato's pierced abdomen, causing him to involuntarily hunch over, clench his teeth, and suck in a cold breath.
"Hiss—!"
[Hayato: 4000 → 400 LP]
"He actually dealt so much damage in an instant?!" The observing Kaiba was also startled. His gaze fell upon Noah's field, but his pupils contracted, his face filled with disbelief. "How is that possible? Didn't Chaos Emperor Dragon's effect just send all the cards to the Graveyard?"
"Hey, you rat! What's with that monster on your field!"
Hearing Kaiba's voice, Noah looked at him with a contemptuous expression: "Heh heh, although sending the cards to the Graveyard greatly reduced Kobayashi Hayato's Life Points, I didn't think such a simple trick could defeat him, the King of Games. The cards sent to the Graveyard weren't just his hand, but also the cards in my hand."
"When sent to the Graveyard by Chaos Emperor Dragon - Envoy of the End's effect, Sangan from my hand can use its effect to add a monster with 1500 or less ATK from my Deck to my hand. The card I added to my hand is this Yatagarasu."
"I will use my unused Normal Summon opportunity this turn to Attack Position Summon Yatagarasu, then declare a Direct Attack on Kobayashi Hayato, who has nothing on his field or in his hand!"
"If you take damage from Yatagarasu, your next Draw Phase will be skipped. That means your drawing will be sealed and cannot be released until your defeat, Kobayashi Hayato!" Noah seemed to already see himself grasping victory. "Heh heh, heh ha ha ha ha, with this, the victor has been decided!"
"The final victor is me, Noah!"
The ordinary-looking Yatagarasu attacked towards Hayato's field. Looking at the triumphant Noah, Hayato's face, however, showed a confident smile:
"Sore wa, dou kana?"
"Is that so?"
Although it once reigned supreme, the world had long since changed. The era of the "Emperor Dragon Yatagarasu" combo was over. This was no longer the environment where you were powerless to struggle after all your cards were sent to the Graveyard!
Bang!
Under Noah's confident gaze, just before Yatagarasu hit Hayato, a small monster suddenly revived from the Graveyard, blocking in front of Hayato!
"Kuri~~!"
"Nani!?"
"What?!"
Rainbow Kuriboh, revived from the Graveyard, was destroyed by Yatagarasu, whose ATK only exceeded its DEF by 100 points. Its card gradually dissipated under Hayato's gaze: "Thank you, aibo. You saved me again."
Hayato looked at Noah, his gaze firm: "When a Direct Attack is declared, I can Special Summon Rainbow Kuriboh from my Graveyard in Defense Position. When Rainbow Kuriboh Special Summoned by this effect leaves the field, it is banished."
"Tch, stubbornly persistent like a cockroach." Noah said, clearly annoyed. "My turn ends. Also, because Yatagarasu is a special Spirit Monster, it returns to my hand at the end of the turn it was Summoned."
[Noah: 3000 LP, hand 1]
Looking at Noah's empty field and his Life Points of only 3000, Kaiba, watching from the side, suddenly let out a cold laugh: "Hmph hmph, as expected, a rat is just a rat. Short-sighted, only thinking about the immediate situation, with no capacity for thinking about the future."
"What Chaos Emperor Dragon cleared wasn't just that Hayato guy's hand and field, but yours too, wasn't it? With only one unusable Monster Card in your hand, prepare to be completely devoured by the majesty of Blue-Eyes!"
Just as Kaiba said, after Noah's previous combo, which was practically a finishing blow, was blocked by Hayato with the invincible Rainbow Kuriboh—a grave trap quite rare in this era—the weakness of the "Emperor Dragon Yatagarasu" combo lacking follow-up was exposed.
By using Chaos Emperor Dragon's effect to completely clear the field, Noah himself, like Hayato, had no means of defense. The monster he just used was a Spirit Monster that returned to his hand at the end of the turn. Conveniently, the Duel Monsters rules currently in effect were still the ultimate house rules, the "Deck Master" rules.
It didn't matter what card Hayato drew. As long as he Summoned the Blue-Eyes White Dragon that had been waiting beside him for so long and blasted Noah with it, this Duel would be over.
"My turn, draw!" Hayato declared. After drawing a card from his Deck, he looked at the card he drew and said, "In my Standby Phase, a monster in my Graveyard can Activate its effect."
Following Hayato's declaration, a frog with a halo above its head and sacred wings on its back appeared on Hayato's field.
"During my Standby Phase, if there is no Treeborn Frog on the field, it can be Special Summoned from the Graveyard," Hayato said, playing the card he had just drawn. "Then I Activate the Spell Card, Pot of Greed! I draw two cards from my Deck."
While Hayato was adding the cards to his hand, Noah subtly glanced at the Graveyard Zone beside him. Although he was currently in an empty field state, Noah always liked to have a "Plan B" ready. He had already planned for the follow-up if the "Emperor Dragon Yatagarasu" combo failed to deliver the finishing blow to Hayato. That method existed in his Graveyard.
"Here I come, Noah!" After drawing two cards, Hayato suddenly raised his hand. "I can finally use this card. I Special Summon my Deck Master—Blue-Eyes White Dragon—onto the field!"
"Go, my glory, my tamashii, Blue-Eyes White Dragon!"
"Then, Direct Attack Noah! Burst Stream of Destruction!"
The sacred white dragon descended like an angel, but only when it opened its massive maw and spewed out a gust bomb wrapped in a destructive aura did one realize this was an armed angel.
Blue-Eyes White Dragon's attack, with its high ATK of 3000 points, struck towards Noah. But just like before when Hayato was almost Direct Attacked by Yatagarasu, Noah was completely calm. With a gentle wave of his hand, a dark shadow flashed and blocked in front of Noah, taking the full force of Blue-Eyes White Dragon's attack.
